Prayers back and forth

In one of our back and forth emails, the president of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Springfield closed with these words: We will keep you, and the Parish Family of St. Mary's, Cypress, Texas in our prayers in the days and weeks ahead.

I love thinking about the Diocese of Springfield not only praying for me as a nominee but that they are also praying for St. Mary's, too. I particularly appreciate this because after I was announced as one of the nominees, we (at St. Mary's) added the Diocese of Springfield to our list of daily intercessions.

No matter what happens with the election, I can't help but think that God is delighted to see two groups of people connected with another through their prayers. It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns:

As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,

each proud division ends.

That love that made us makes us one,

and strangers now are friends.

Luke 1. 37

So I've got a second blog going. Actually, it's not my blog but one for the parish where I serve. It's just that right now I'm the one tending it.

The parish is beginning The Bible in 90 Days Challenge this Sunday. We created the blog as another way to encourage the parish in this great summer activity. A group of us started on Wednesday (though the official kick-off is June 6). We're having great fun with it and Sunday, on what has become known as our "commitment wall" in the nave, all of us who have accepted the challenge to read the Bible through this summer will sign our commitment.

I decided that listening was going to work better for me, so I've decided to download the week's readings at audible.com. I started Wednesday and simply by listening while driving between parish tasks I'm to Day Four already. I'm trying to get ahead because I figure sooner or later I'll get behind.

I've read the Bible through before. I did a year reading plan through my parents' church a long time back. I reckoned that it was time I do it in one sitting (0ver 90 days) again.

Oh, and the title of the parish blog? Luke 1. 37. Read the verse for yourself and see if you can figure out why this seemed the perfect title for a blog encouraging our walk with Christ.